Break-Ups Can Be Good Sometimes
by Arya3610
Summary: Castiel is trying to get over his most recent failed relationship. "Getting over" AKA binging on copious amounts of ice cream and Netflix. Gabriel can't stand his brother being this way, and offers his help. Gabriel's version includes a lot more alcohol. The brothers go to a nearby bar, where the bartender is the most beautiful person Cas has ever seen. And Cas is still in his PJs.
1. Chapter 1

Castiel scrolled through his Netflix queue, hoping that they had added the new season of Game of Thrones. An action-filled show was just what he needed to distract him. Maybe with all the excitement and gore he could forget, at least for an hour or so. Sighing, he absently rolled the remote in his hands. Maybe Bart was right, maybe it was his fault. That would explain the history of failed relationships, none lasting more than a month. Maybe there was something wrong with him-

Sudden loud knocking on his flat's door made him sigh, realizing that his little pity party would have to wait until he dealt with whoever it was.

"Come on, man!", a familiar voice shouted through the door, "You can't hide forever!"

"I can try!" Castiel yelled back, definitely not pouting just a little bit. "Go away, Gabe!"

"Dude, it was just a guy!"

"He broke my heart!"

"You were with him for like, what, three weeks? Knowing you, the guy just managed to move into hand holding!"

"That isn't the point!"

Castiel heard a muffled sound of exasperation from the other side of his door. His closed and blissfully locked door.

"Cassie, if you don't open this door in this next minute I am going to break it down! And you'd better not have a tub of ice cream on that couch with you! Stress eating doesn't help, I would know!"

Castiel glanced down at his half full carton of cookie dough ice cream, spoon stuck straight into the dessert.

"...of course I don't, what am I, a thirteen year old girl?" Castiel faked a loud laugh, throwing off his blanket and scrambling to his kitchen to hide the incriminating evidence.

A snort from through the door tells him that Gabriel knows exactly what he is doing. "Whatever you are, you have thirty seconds before you're going to need a new door!" Gabriel called, no doubt counting them down himself. He was always wanting to break down doors and climb through windows; Castiel thought he watched too many cop shows. Rinsing off his spoon, he turned his head and spitefully stuck his tongue out at the door.

"Ten...nine...eight..."

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Castiel shouted back, walking over. "You don't have to be so violent." He grumbled as he opened the door.

"There he is!" Gabriel said sarcastically. "You can't just sit and get fat because you broke up with your boyfriend, man. Go get dressed, we'll go to a bar or something."

"Can and will." Castiel muttered. Speaking louder, he replied, "I don't want to go to a bar, Gabe. I just want to catch up on Game of Thrones. Thanks for coming over and all, but you can leave now."

"Cassie, you know I'm not leaving until you agree to come with me. You may not want to go to a bar, but that is a great place to pick up a new boyfriend!" Gabriel smirked, popping a lollipop into his mouth.

"I don't want a new boyfriend, Gabe."

"Then it's a great place to forget all your troubles! Come on, let's go!" Gabriel grabbed his arm and started tugging him towards the door, Castiel just managing to grab his wallet and keys from the table by the door. They walked to Gabriel's car, Castiel still being half-dragged on the way. He began resisting even more when the old Mustang came into view, it's paint somehow still bright candy apple green while the rest of the car was falling apart at the seams.

"Gabe..." Castiel whined as he was attempting to pull his arm out of his older brother's grip. Or maybe he'd just pull his arm out of its socket, both seemed like viable options.

"Don't be that way, baby bro!" Gabe said cheerily, unlocking the passenger door and pushing Castiel into the candy-wrapper-covered seat. "It'll be good for you, you'll see!" He walked around and got in the drivers side, managing to start the car after a few misfires.

"If we even make it there." Castiel grumbled under his breath, crossing his arms (but still most definitely not pouting).

Gabe tutted as he pulled out into the street. "Don't worry, Cassie, we'll make it just fine. Have some faith."

Castiel kept his arms crossed as they drove to god knows what bar Gabriel had found this time. Hopefully this one wouldn't be like the last one. Castiel shuddered as he remembered, trying immediately to get the memories out of his head. Gabriel began loudly singing along to the radio, continuing until they had pulled into a parking lot. Castiel leapt out of the car; he may not want to be at a bar, but after sitting in a car with Gabe's singing a shot or two sounded like heaven.

"What do you think?" Gabriel asked, getting out and gesturing grandly to the bar he had driven them to.

The exterior looked nice enough, the name giving it a slight southern, cowboyish feel. Definitely not like the last place.

"Oh thank God," Castiel sighed out quietly, suddenly much less nervous. Louder, he replied, "It looks like a bar, Gabe, I don't know. It seems fine so far."

Gabe smirked, again grabbing onto Castiel's arm to drag him into the building. "Like I'd ever bring you anywhere less than 'fine'."

Castiel shuddered again. "I remember quite a few places that were very not okay."

"Ah", Gabriel waved his free hand dismissively, "that's just because you don't know how to have fun. Anyway, here we are!"

They walked through the door, Gabriel immediately heading to sit at the bar and pulling Castiel along with him. They sat next to each other, Gabriel finally letting go. Castiel looked down and began rubbing his forearm; for such a small person, Gabe really did have a strong grip. Gabriel rapped his knuckles on the bar, calling to the bartender.

Still looking down, Castiel saw what he assumed was the bartender move in front of them.

"What'll it be, Gabe? Another fruity cocktail that's too sweet for any normal person to drink?" Castiel heard him say in an amused tone. His voice was smooth, with just an edge of roughness, and deep. Castiel instantly wanted to hear him speak more. It didn't even matter what he said as long as it was in that beautiful voice.

"You know me, Dean, the sweeter the better!" Castiel was sure Gabriel winked exaggeratedly as he said it and was very thankful to have missed it, still staring at the red spot on his arm.

"If you're sure, man. What about your friend here?" Castiel heard the man, Dean, ask. He slowly looked up, raising his eyes to the man in front of him. Castiel made eye contact and stopped, thoughts all derailed from looking into those gorgeous green eyes, not to mention the body they were in. Tall, broad shouldered, and obviously strong, Dean still managed to have a trim waist. His hair was short with a small flip up at the front, and Castiel was amazed at how unbelievably soft it looked. His face was beautiful, there was no other way to describe it. His lips were a Cupid's bow, plush and pink, a bit chapped, but it didn't really matter. His nose was straight and nicely shaped, God even his ears were perfect. Oh lord, were those freckles? Castiel may not have known it before but he definitely knew now, he adored freckles. Finally, his eyes. Dean's green eyes, the exact shade shifting with the lights, but still internally glowing with amusement. Amusement...that was growing? Castiel cocked his head to the side, narrowing his eyes at the Adonis in front of him. Yes, he was definitely amused.

Suddenly Castiel remembered that he hadn't bothered to change before leaving. Meaning that Dean, possibly the most attractive person ever, was seeing him for the first time in sweatpants, an old Star Wars t-shirt, and bed head. Castiel almost considered asking Gabe to take him back to the bar from last time.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean served yet another group of giggling college girls their drinks before moving to wipe down another section of the bar. As much as he would usually flirt and wink at them, he just wasn't feeling it tonight. Maybe it was that vegetable crap that Sam had made for breakfast; sure, it was healthy, but Dean needed his bacon.

Dean glanced over as he heard a rapping on the bar, seeing Gabriel, one of the new regulars, grinning at him. With darker blonde hair, golden eyes, and an irrepressible sense of humor, he was considered a catch, but Dean wasn't interested. Gabe was too loud for his tastes; he'd prefer someone calmer. And taller. Next to Gabriel was another man that made Dean pause. The man was looking down, rubbing his arm, but Dean could see a lithe body that looked like a runner or swimmer's build, as well as dark brown, possibly black, messy hair that looked like someone had just run their fingers through it. Dean wouldn't mind being that someone...

"Heya Dean-o!", Gabriel called, still smiling.

Dean smiled back and moved in front of them, hoping that he hadn't noticed Dean checking out Gabe's possible boyfriend

"What'll it be, Gabe? Another fruity cocktail that's too sweet for any normal person to drink?", Dean asked with an edge of laughter. The first time he had come in, he was absolutely floored by just how sweet Gabe wanted his drinks, but after the first few visits it had become a bit of a joke between them.

"You know me, Dean, the sweeter the better!", Gabriel said, winking exaggeratedly. Dean rolled his eyes and chuckled before glancing over at the man he had been trying not to stare at the entire time.

"If you're sure, man. What about your friend here?", he asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

The man slowly looked up, eyes raking over Dean's body until they reached his eyes. Holy hell, those eyes. Dean had never seen such a pure blue, the color shifting and changing as the man did, never staying the same shade for long. Dean stared him, the man staring right back. He was slightly tan, with strong, masculine features and a shadow of stubble. Dean hoped to god that he wasn't Gabriel's boyfriend.

As they stared, Dean started growing amused at just how long this man was staring. Surely he should have blinked by now? Then the man cocked his head to the side, narrowing his unbelievable eyes. Dean nearly choked at how cute that head tilt was. The man's eyes widened, as if he had realized something, and he glanced down at himself.

Dean glanced down as well, having to force himself to use almost all of his self control not to reach out and hug the man once he realized how adorable he was in a Star Wars t-shirt.


	3. Chapter 3

Castiel cleared his throat, looking back up at Dean. His cheeks might feel suspiciously warm and he might be more embarrassed than he'd been since that one memorable day in high school, but he was going to play this off, damn it. "Whatever's on tap is fine, thanks."

He couldn't be entirely sure, but he thought he saw the green eyes in front of him widen a small bit.

"Awww, come on Cassie!", Gabriel's smile looked suspiciously shark-like when Castiel turned his head. "We're here to forget our woes! You need something stronger than that!" He leaned towards Dean, adopting a stage-whisper. "Cassie here has the tolerance of a Russian lumberjack, so you might want to hit him with the really strong stuff."

Dean chuckled, eyes glancing over to Cas before replying to Gabriel. "You promise me you're not going to give him alcohol poisoning?"

Gabe gasped dramatically, throwing his hand up to cover his heart. "Why, Dean Winchester! You think I'd hurt my little bro like that?"

Cas rolled his eyes. "Yes. You've done it before." He narrowed his eyes at his brother. "You've done _worse _before. I still haven't forgiven you for the bleach incident."

Gabe cackled, "But you looked great as a blonde, Cassie!" He turned back to Dean, "Anyway, Dean-o, give him a whiskey, neat. We'll go on a refill basis, so you can cut us off if you think we're getting too far gone," he winked.

Dean shook his head, still faintly smiling at the brothers. "Fine, Gabe, let's go with that." He started pulling out syrup bottles and alcohols, no doubt all for Gabe's frou-frou creation. "So, Cassie, huh?

Castiel groaned and thunked down on the bar and Gabriel cracked up again. "No," he said to the floor, slightly louder so Dean could hear it over the music. "That's just what Gabriel calls me." He lifted his head and started to reach across the bar for a handshake before he realized Dean's hands were full of bottles. Hand already up, he hastily changed it to an awkward wave. "My name is Castiel."

"Castiel." Dean said thoughtfully, trying it out. Castiel was rewarded with a crooked grin, "Awesome. It's angelic, right?"

Cas was a little dazed by the smile, but managed to breathe out a, "Yeah."

Dean set Gabriel's drink down on the bar, pulling out a small glass and a bottle of whiskey. "Well, I'm probably gonna call you Cas, okay?" He smiled as he poured the drink. "Harder to mess up that way." He winked before moving down to the other end of the bar to serve a couple new arrivals.

"Soooo…", Gabe drawled, turning sideways in his seat. "Dean, huh?" His grin looked like he was having the time of his life.

Cas' head was suddenly back on the bar. "No."

"Come on, bro, you think I didn't see that?" Cas couldn't quite see, but he was pretty sure Gabe waved his straw around, from the drop or two he felt on his arm. "The whole bar could see that! Your eyes were sappier than a maple tree."

Castiel groaned. After a minute, he sighed and lifted his head. "Please don't try to play matchmaker. For all we know Dean is in a lovely, committed relationship with a nice woman. And," he glared at Gabriel, who had opened his mouth to interrupt, "even if he isn't, I doubt I'm his type. He works as a bartender, he's personable, he's," Castiel blew out a breath and glared at his drink. "He's beautiful." He grabbed the glass and downed it in one go, wincing at the burn. "And I'm… me."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Yo, Dean!" He yelled down the bar.

Dean glanced up at him, not pausing in mixing the cocktail the giggly girl in front of him had ordered. "What, Gabe?"

"Do you like dick?"

Dean laughed, handing the girl her drink. "You're lucky this is a tolerant bar, man!" He walked back over to them, wiping his hands on a hand towel as he went. "But, yeah," he said, still chuckling but at a normal volume. "I'm bi as hell. Why?"

Gabe just shrugged as Castiel's face burned. "Just wondering."

Dean gestured at Cas' glass, "Refill?"

"Yeah," he said, running a hand over his face. "Keep 'em coming. I think I'll need it." He glared at Gabriel, who gave him a cheeky wink before sipping his cocktail.


End file.
